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Political Battle Under Way Within GOP, Say Conservative Leaders
cnsnews.com ^ | November 05, 2008 | Fred Lucas

Posted on 11/05/2008 4:59:01 AM PST by kellynla

CNSNews.com) – Facing the most liberal president and Congress in a generation, conservative stalwarts do not blame the GOP’s disastrous election performance solely on Republican nominee John McCain or on President George W. Bush. The ultimate culprit, some say, has been big government Republicanism.

Long-time conservative activist Richard Viguerie thinks the Republican Party’s problem this year is not unlike its problem in previous election cycles.

“Moderate and liberal have not done very well,” Viguerie, the chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, told CNSNews.com. “Both Bushes had problems, and Bush the son nearly destroyed the Republican Party. People are looking for a clear conservative choice.”

Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, said this is not the first time Republicans have had a bad election cycle.

“We will get the same advice from the establishment press, which will advise the party to move left,” he said. But when that was tried, it did not work, Norquist told CNSNews.com.

He said Republicans win by running on President Ronald Reagan’s ideas and lose when they move left. He cited President George H. W. Bush’s failed reelection campaign in 1992 after running successfully as a Reagan tax-cutter in 1988, as well as Bob Dole in 1996 who had previously opposed the Reagan tax cuts, and now McCain, who has supported legislation on campaign finance reform and global warming.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: conservatism; conservatives; gop; republicans
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To: kellynla

I got to see some of the panel going to this big conservative retreat today. Dick Armey maybe Sect Snow, all I can say is “Oh Geez Not this $&!+ Again”......


21 posted on 11/05/2008 5:09:16 AM PST by taildragger (The Answer is Fred Thompson, I do not care what the question is.....)
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To: kellynla

Time to declare economic war on the left stream media. Politely go after their advertisers again and again until they block our phone numbers. (Then get another phone.)


22 posted on 11/05/2008 5:11:28 AM PST by listenhillary (2 legs good, 4 legs baaaad!, ~~ Obama Hussein - You make it, we take it.)
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To: kellynla
The ultimate culprit, some say, has been big government Republicanism

Amen. Someone pound the last nail into the coffin of "Compassionate Conservatism." Limited Government is THE foundation pillar of conservatism and it was thrown out the window over the past decade. Many of us were sick over it but made a deal with the devil to stay in power because the Dems would have been worse. Now the irony is that, after a huge expansion of government under Lyndon Baines Bush, "conservatism" and limited government are discredited.

23 posted on 11/05/2008 5:13:29 AM PST by Opinionated Blowhard
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To: Mr. Jazzy

I’m not sure losing the last remaining New England Republican is anything to feel especially happy about. This party is facing oblivion if it continues to cater solely to white, suburban/rural voters in the South.


24 posted on 11/05/2008 5:13:29 AM PST by Gunder
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To: east1234

I think your right .


25 posted on 11/05/2008 5:14:35 AM PST by ncalburt
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To: kellynla

No doubt there will be big battle inside the party. To me, it has to start from defining what ‘conservatism’ means. Many may flame me, but I firmly believe that people actually have different ideas in their mind when they talk about conservatism. Each will claim his/hers is the ‘true’ one.


26 posted on 11/05/2008 5:14:37 AM PST by paudio (Conservatism is a word with various meanings.)
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To: kellynla

Well im just saying if you check whose up for election its the GOP that have more seats up for grabs. Ill double check that but Im pretty sure I am right. Not syaing its not importannt but no realistic balance of power swing can be had in 2010.


27 posted on 11/05/2008 5:14:54 AM PST by Archon of the East (Universal Executive Power of the Law of Nature)
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To: Valin
RINO = Big government, blue blood, country club Republican who would rather stick it to the Conservatives then stick it to the ‘Rats....How's that?
28 posted on 11/05/2008 5:15:01 AM PST by rightwingextremist1776
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To: IMissPresidentReagan

The GOP faces tough odds in 2010, simply because of how well the party did in 2004. The House is another story, and there are some very good Governor races out there.


29 posted on 11/05/2008 5:15:04 AM PST by Gunder
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To: Mr. Jazzy

Did he lose?


30 posted on 11/05/2008 5:15:32 AM PST by MrChips (MrChips)
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To: kellynla

Fairness doctrine, carbon cap and trade, open borders, higher taxes, no drilling, coal plants or nuclear power plants. Also quotas. Did I miss something?


31 posted on 11/05/2008 5:15:33 AM PST by bronxboy
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To: paudio

Geraldo said that Tina Fey destroyed Sarah Palin making her look like a twit - saying nobody will ever respect her...

I disagree...I wasn’t even going to vote McCain until he introduced Sarah...


32 posted on 11/05/2008 5:15:43 AM PST by DocT111
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To: madison10
An Obama presidency, if there isn't a super-majority in Congress, is going to have problems from the get-go.

I look to the mid-term elections now. Will stock up on light-bulbs and other necessities like my depression mentality relatives did and will hold on for the ride. If Zero and a dem congress do what Clinton and the 1993 congress did, or what Hoover did, there will be a tidal wave back to conservatism. We just have to be sure that people know that it's an option.

33 posted on 11/05/2008 5:16:00 AM PST by Desdemona (Tolerance of grave evil is NOT a Christian virtue.)
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To: kellynla
According to exit polls last night 20% identify as liberal, 44% as moderate, and 36% as conservative.

That actually seems about right to me.

34 posted on 11/05/2008 5:16:17 AM PST by Texas_shutterbug
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To: se_ohio_young_conservative
I feel absolutely demoralized. I feel like they destroyed Sarah.

The MSM did far more damage to themselves than they did to Palin. Sarah now has four years to burnish her resume further while the public realizes that the MSM sold them a pig in a poke with Obama - we will now see all the stuff the MSM held back about Obama dribbled out over the next six months, and the public will not like it one bit.

35 posted on 11/05/2008 5:16:58 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: se_ohio_young_conservative

Sarah’s a rising star. We haven’t seen the last of her.


36 posted on 11/05/2008 5:17:28 AM PST by Fresh Wind (Hey, Obama! Where's my check?)
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To: ari-freedom
President Ronald Reagan’s ideas and Newt’s contract with America

I'm a social conservative, but I wonder if social conservatism was prominent in their ideas. Newt's Contract with America has no mention about abortion, gay marriage, etc. Does it mean we can win if we just put aside social conservative issues, just like 0bama & Co. put aside their socialism?

37 posted on 11/05/2008 5:17:39 AM PST by paudio (Conservatism is a word with various meanings.)
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To: brownsfan

No; now is the time to take back the party, when the elites are at their weakest.


38 posted on 11/05/2008 5:17:40 AM PST by steve8714 (Why do we pray for peace at Mass, never for freedom?)
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To: east1234
It’s to late, 25 million illegals will be granted citizenship before 2010. Conservatism will no longer influence our country. This HAS to be stopped or we are history...
39 posted on 11/05/2008 5:18:15 AM PST by Boonie
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To: IMissPresidentReagan

I missed Pawlenty- what did he say?


40 posted on 11/05/2008 5:18:34 AM PST by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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